Switch contact structure



Jan. 21, 1964 E. J MASTNEY ETAL 3,118,998

SWITCH CONTACT STRUCTURE Original Filed May 11, 1959 IN VEN T 0R5 5M zwm e United, States Patent 3,118,998 'SWlTCH CGN'lZ iiCT STRUCTURE Edward J. Mastney, Hinsdale, and John H. Williams, Barrington, 151., assignors to Oak Manufacturing Co.,

a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 812,301, May 11, 1959. This application Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,508

4 Claims. (Cl. 200166) This invention relates to a switch contact structure and more particularly to a contact structure for use in light power applications. The switch contact structure embodying the present invention is useful in such devices as communication equipment, instrumentation and the like Where circuits at low power are made and broken. The type of switch to which the new contact structure is particularly adapted is generally utilized in radio receivers for changing from one wave band to another or from AM to PM reception as examples, or in tube testers.

A switch contact structure embodying the present invention is particularly desirable for use in dip soldering. As is well known, wafer type switch sections having a large number of stator and rotor contacts are used in large quantities in radio and television equipment. Such switch sections are frequently dip soldered.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved switch contact structure.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a contact structure embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the contract structure illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a frontelevation of the contact structure illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevation of the contact structure illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6- is an enlarged sectional detail on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

The new switch contact structure comprises a blank of spring metal such as brass, Phosphor bronze or the like folded at 10- to provide two thicknesses of metal '11 and 12-, providing a terminal structure 13. One of the metal thicknesses here illustrated as 12, is provided with wings 14 and 15 extending laterally from opposite side edges thereof, which wings in the completed structure are curved towards each other to provide a pin socket 16.

Terminal portion 13 of the contact structure generally has a width which is greater than the width of fold portion 10. Terminal portion 13 extends from fold portion 10 straight for a desired distance and merges into mounting portion 21. Mounting portion 21 is bent with respect to terminal portion 13 and in the specific example illustrated, the two portions are about 90 degrees with respect to each other.

Mounting portion 21 is wider than terminal portion 13. The two thicknesses of metal at mounting portion 21 are in close contact to each other and have mounting aperture 22. Aperture 2.2 as illustrated here has a generally rectangular shape, in this instance, square with clipped corners 23. If desired, mounting aperture 22 may be narrowed considerably to provide a slot for a flat rivet. In such case the slot may extend either transversely or longitudinally of mounting portion 231.

Mounting portion 21 continues on to contact jaws 25 and 2 6. These contact jaws as seen from the edge are concave to each other and have active jaw portions 27 and 28 extending toward each other, normally touching at the tips. Jaw portions 27 and 28 are tapered in width and may assume a variety of configurations. In general, con- Patented Jan. 21, 1964 tact jaws .25 and 26 are adapted to cooperate with flat metal contacts which are adapted to enter between the aws. lizing the same general jaw shape is shown in United States Patent No. 2,186,949, issued on January 16, 1940. Other types of jaws may be used.

By virtue of the integral construction of Wings 14 and 15 at the terminal portion of the metal, a sturdy terminal portion is provided. When terminal portion 13 is dipped into molten solder, the solder can run up-inside of socket 16 where one ormore wires may be inserted and will provide not only firm retention of the wires but-will also reinforce the entire terminal part of the contact clip. It is possible to have wing 14 extend from one thickness of metal and wing 15 extend from the other thickness of metal.

This application is a continuation of our prior application, Serial No. 812,301, filed May 11, 1959, now abandoned.

We claim:

1. A contact clip for dip soldered connection with an electrical conductor and for connecting the conductor with a switch contact, comprising: a resilient body having an end portion and a pair of facially superimposed layers extending in the same direction from said end portion and defining a terminal'portion adjacent said end portion and a planar mounting portion extending outwardly from said terminal portion at a point spaced from said end portion and in a direction generally normal to said terminal portion, said end portion having opposite side edges and said terminal portion having opposite side edges spaced outwardly from adjacent side edgesof said end portion, a pair of wings, one extending from each of said terminal portion opposite edges of one of said edges, said wings extending in the same general direction;

away from said mounting portion and spaced from-the other layer of said terminal portion to define grooves with the other of said layers at said terminal portion opposite edges, said wings having outer end portions directed toward each other and spaced from the terminal portion and together defining an elongated socket having opposite open ends and substantially constant cross sectional configuration for receiving the electrical conductor, said mounting portion having a pair of cooperating resilient contact jaws at a free end opposite said terminal portion, one jaw defined by each of said layers, for resiliently gripping the switch contact and connecting the conductor with the switch contact.

2. A contact clip for dip soldered connection with an electrical conductor and for connecting the conductor with a switch having a contact, comprising: a resilient body having a fold portion at one end and a pair of facially abutting layers extending in the same direction from said fold portion and defining a terminal portion adjacent said fold portion and a planar mounting portion extending outwardly from said terminal portion at a point spaced from said fold portion and in a direction generally normal to said terminal portion, said fold portion having opposite side edges and said terminal portion having opposite side edges spaced outwardly from adjacent side edges of said fold portion to define recesses at said fold portion so that when said contact clip is dip soldered the solder will collect in the recesses at the fold portion side edges, a pair of wings spaced a substantial distance from said mounting portion in a direction toward said fold portion, one wing extending from each edge of the outer layer of said terminal portion and the other layer of said terminal portion being wider than said outer layer, said wings extending outwardly from the other layer along lines. inside the edges of said other layer and in the same general direction away from said mounting portion to define grooves with the other of said layers at said terminal portion opposite An example of a switch contact construction utiedges for receiving solder to stiffen said terminal portion when the clip is dip soldered, said wings having outer end portions directed toward each other and spaced from the terminal portion and together defining an elongated socket having opposite open ends and substantially constant cross sectional configuration for receiving the elec trical conductor, and solder when the clip is dip soldered to secure said conductor to the clip, said mounting portion having a pair of cooperating resilient contact jaws at a free end opposite said terminal portion, one jaw defined by each of said layers, for resiliently gripping the switch contact and connecting the conductor with the switch contact, and the layers of said mounting portion having aligned apertures spaced inwardly from said contact jaws for receiving a fastener to mount the clip on the switch, whereby the resilient jaw portion of the clip remains relatively cool and retains its resiliency during dip soldering of the terminal portion of the clip.

3. A contact clip for dip soldered connection with an electrical conductor and for connecting the conductor with a switch having a contact, comprising: a resilient body having a fold portion at one end and a pair of facially superimposed layers extending in the same direction from said fold portion and defining a terminal portion adjacent said fold portion and a planar mount ing portion, said terminal portion extending outwardly from said mounting portion in a direction generally normal to said mounting portion, said fold portion having opposite side edges and said terminal portion having opposite side edges spaced outwardly from adjacent side edges of said fold portion, a pair of wings, one wing extending from opposite edges of one layer of said terminal portion, said wings being spaced from said mounting portion and from said fold portion and extending away from the mounting portion in the same general direction, said wings being spaced from the other layer of said terminal portion to define grooves with the other of said layers at said terminal portion opposite edges, said wings having outer end portions directed toward each other and spaced from the terminal portion and together defining an elongated socket for receiving the electrical conductor, said socket having opposite open ends and a longitudinal axis extending generally parallel to said direction of said terminal portion, said mounting portion having a pair of cooperating resilient contact jaws at a free end opposite said terminal portion, one jaw defined by each of said layers, for resiliently gripping the switch contact and connecting the conductor with the switch contact, and the layers of said mounting portion having aligned apertures spaced inwardly from said contact jaws 'for receiving a fastener to mount the clip on the switch.

4. A contact clip for dip soldered connection with an electrical conductor and for connecting the conductor with electrical apparatus, comprising: a resilient body having a fold portion at one end and a pair of facially superimposed layers extending from said fold portion and defining a terminal portion adjacent said fold portion and a mounting portion extending transversely outwardly from said terminal portion and terminating at an end opposite said terminal portion in cooperating resilient jaws, one defined by each of said layers, for connecting the clip to the electrical apparatus, said fold portion having opposite side edges and said terminal portion having opposite side edges spaced outwardly from adjacent side edges of said fold portion, and a pair of wings extending from one layer of said terminal portion, one wing extending from each of said terminal portion opposite edges in the same general direction, said wings being joined with said one layer inside the edge of the other layer to define grooves with, the other of said layers at said opposite edges, said wings having outer end portions directed toward each other and spaced from the terminal portion layers to define an elongated socket for receiving the electrical conductor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,293,606 Kimbell Aug. 18, 1942 2,630,935 Gookin Mar. 10, 1953 2,745,081 Offerman May 8, 1956 2,779,010 Pifer Jan. 22, 1957 2,825,036 Sorenson Feb. 25, 1958 2,866,171 Wagner et al. Dec. 23, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 574,345 Canada Apr. 21, 1959 

4. A CONTACT CLIP FOR DIP SOLDERED CONNECTION WITH AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR AND FOR CONNECTING THE CONDUCTOR WITH ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, COMPRISING: A RESILIENT BODY HAVING A FOLD PORTION AT ONE END AND A PAIR OF FACIALLY SUPERIMPOSED LAYERS EXTENDING FROM SAID FOLD PORTION AND DEFINING A TERMINAL PORTION ADJACENT SAID FOLD PORTION AND A MOUNTING PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TERMINAL PORTION AND TERMINATING AT AN END OPPOSITE SAID TERMINAL PORTION IN COOPERATING RESILIENT JAWS, ONE DEFINED BY EACH OF SAID LAYERS, FOR CONNECTING THE CLIP TO THE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, SAID FOLD PORTION HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES AND SAID TERMINAL PORTION HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF SAID FOLD PORTION, AND A PAIR OF WINGS EXTENDING 